Editorial: Pahrump comes to its senses

Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006 | 7:20 a.m.

Our fears that Pahrump would become a prime example of a growing intolerance of undocumented workers were somewhat lessened Tuesday night when the town's governing board threw out the latest inane proposal.

Michael Miraglia, who was appointed to the Pahrump Town Board in July to replace another member, had placed the proposed "Undocumented Foreign National Registration Ordinance" on the agenda. The proposed ordinance, had it passed, would have required all those from a foreign country who set foot in Pahrump to register at the town office if they lacked papers legally documenting their right to be in the United States.

Obviously aimed at Hispanics from Mexico who cross the border illegally to find work, the ordinance would have required the payment of a $200 registration fee and the surrender of personal information. Followed to its logical conclusion, the ordinance would have subjected anyone who looked like they might be foreign to produce their "papers" upon demand by police or other government agents.

We had feared that the board might adopt this unconstitutional proposal, given that it had approved Miraglia's equally mean-spirited and unconstitutional "English only" ordinance just last month.

But the board this time showed more sense. It withdrew the agenda item before any discussion could take place. As Tuesday night was Miraglia's last meeting - a board with newly elected members takes over next month - perhaps this is the last Nevada will hear of such odious proposals coming from Pahrump.

We hope all other such proposals coming from anywhere in Nevada are also roundly defeated, including a bill that has been requested by Republican Ty Cobb of Reno, elected last month to serve in the state Assembly. His bill, which would deny most state benefits to undocumented immigrants, smacks of bigotry. Aside from its constitutional issues, it is patently unfair, especially to those whose parents brought them to this country at a very young age.

Other states and municipalities have either passed or are considering such proposals, largely because Congress failed to pass an immigration bill this year. But immigration law, and constitutional enforcement, remain a federal issue. Local and state officials should not be taking matters into their own hands, at great risk to the Bill of Rights.